We Breed: Poultry

The egg-citement is brewing for Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend 2016, as this week, we take a special look at poultry farms taking part. Poultry farming is the raising of domesticated birds such as chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese for the purpose of farming meat or eggs for food.

Cavanagh Free Range Eggs in County Fermanagh produce over 12 million eggs per year and supply quality eggs to shops, hotels, restaurants and wholesalers throughout Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The Hall family are dedicated to providing the best possible environment for their hens and ultimately produce great quality free range eggs.

Chickens raised for eggs are usually called layers while chickens raised for meat are often called broilers. Drumhirk Farm will be taking part in their first Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend this summer. Run by the Symington family, the farm supplies Moy Park with broilers. Moy Park is the largest poultry meat producer in Northern Ireland and one of the 15 biggest food companies in the UK.

Buchanan Turkeys in Maghera breed eight different strains of turkeys which are all hatched on the first week of June. The strains are called Tiny, Super Mini, Roly-poly, Wrolstad, Plump, Plumpy plus, Broad-breasted Bronze and Grade maker. Visitors will be able to sample some of the cooked turkeys and purchase items from the on-site farm shop.

You can find out more information about all the farms mentioned and their unique opening hours over on our farm section.